[tkflames]

On the Core Playing for Each Other
I thought Gio came and the core came out during the 3rd yesterday (especially after the boneheaded penalties in the 2nd). The pushback is still there (especially following each intermission it seems), but the lack of execution is horrible to watch and overall confusion to watch.

On the Power Play
In the pre-season against the Jets, you could see the makings of a good power play. Quick one touch passes and quick shots. Last night, the Flames scored two goals from screened shots in the third, then on the power play, they try to feather that "perfect" no chance pass through the middle. Too slow, too predictable, too boring. With guys like Gio, Hamilton & Wideman on the points, rifle it from the points and top of the circle and collapse to the net. Wideman has scored this way, Gio has scored this way, Versteeg has scored this way each in their last two games. Use Johnny on the sidewall to create some space for the points and stick Brouwer & Monahan in front of the net. It's not that complicated.

On Coaching Preparedness:
All of this leads me to a lack of coaching preparedness. The systems both Power Play and overall looks like a cookie cutter strategy without any consideration for the strengths of the team. Rather than watching tape and trying to establish a strategy for the team to kick off the pre-season based on strength, it looks like the coaches took the summer off and meet the players for the first time at camp. No strategy in place, no understanding of the teams strength. Core reasons that lead me to this conclussion:

Preparedness:
1. Way too many players in camp for way too long. This looked like a meet and greet rather than a focused exercise trying to get a team ready for a playoff birth.

2. Experimenting with ridiculous defensive pairings in the first game of the season. Every Flames defender was available for the pre-season.

3. Playing and signing of Grossman and keeping Korpikosky/Higgins as long as they did.

4. A completely different power play strategy and zone entry strategy than being used during the season.

5. Practicing with lines that are different (or have been proven for many years to be ineffective) from the game.

Lack of Understanding of the Players:
1. During his post-hiring interview GG wanted this team to move as a 5 man unit. Their current strategy is to have 4 guys stand and 1 guy skate at full speed as a 1 man unit. This is not happening. When you want to play a puck possession game with a defense that moves as well as this team, the strategy should be to lead with the puck carrier (defense or offense player) and the remaining 4 support. If the puck carrier gets pinched off, then drop the puck back, colapse back to your own zone and take another run until you break the neutral zone. St. Louis and Chicago are very effective at this with a less mobile defense. The key is changing it up often enough with a dump in so that the defense can't cheat. The 1 vs 5 strategy does not work.

2. The power play strategy is garbage. I described above what this could look like as a more effective alternative. The key to taking advantage of a player like Johnny, is to force the team to respect him instead of focus on him. What I mean by that is that we look to be channeling everything through Johnny and wait for him to make a sexy move leading to a goal. He is good enough to score like this on the occasion depsite the opposing team's focus. However, unless we diversify the point option, the entire defensive box can collapse toward Johnny and remove his space/time.

3. Defensive pairings - I dont think anything else needs to be added here.

4. There is nothing wrong with experimentation, but if this is the strategy to get guys going, then seperate Johnny & Monahan. Stick a player that's going like Backlund with him that can get puck possession and has some speed/skill.

Coaching Change

This reminds me a lot of the (I believe it was the Savard?) Chicago early season fire to bring in Joel Quenville. The problem is I don't see the next Quenville out there. I dont think there is anything internal available (D. Cameron is worse, Ryan Huska has a hard enough time with a development team, anyone else?)

In my opinion GG is the worst coach since the last GG and we are a bad road trip away form this turning into Marc Savard Part II. At least last year the games were watchable.